Loose-leaf binder.



c. R. NELSON. LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION IILBD 0013.11, 1907.

914,063. Patented M21122, 1909.

illllllilll UNI CHARLES R. NELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LQOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed October 11, 1907. Serial No. 396,917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders, and refers more particularly to binders of that type in which seetional posts are employed for impaling the leaves and affording expansion or contraction of the capacity of the binder.

Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide a construction in which the binder may be ex anded or contracted to an extent practically equal to the full length of one of the post sections without at any stage of adjustment causing the ends of the posts to project beyond the lateral edges of the binder back, while nevertheless the post ends are so exposed that the bookkeeper can tell at a glance whether or not the binder can be further expanded without the addition of more sections; to provide in a binder of the general character described a peculiar construction and arrangement of the hinge mechanism which enables the binder covers to be thrown back into a self-sustaining position to afford better access to the contents of the book, notwithstanding the fact that the binder posts may be projecting to the maximum degree that they ever pro j ect to provide in the hinge mechanism such a construction and arrangement that the inner faces of the side covers will be brought to rest closely against the contents of the binder, both along those portions of the cover adjacent to the'hinge as well as the outer portions; to provide a construction which is at once of extremely neat and finished appearance and devoid of metallic or other hard projections likely to disfigure the desk; and in general to provide a simple, durable and efficient device of the character referred to.

To the above endsthe invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is described in conjunction with a description of the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken in a plane coincident with the axes of the posts as to its main portion and in a parallel plane coincident with the looking screw as to the central portion of said figure; Fig. 3 is an inside face view of that one of the back members which contains the locking screw; parts of said view being shown in horizontal section in a plane about coincident with the locking screw; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a key suitable for operating the looking screw.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2, respectively, designate as a whole binder frame members, which are desirably castings of light metal, such .for example as aluminum, and 3 and 3 designate the side covers which are hinged to the respective frame members 1 and 2 in a peculiar manner.

The frame members 1 and 2 are desirably made of approximately U-form in cross section, as best seen in Fig. 4, was to secure at once rigidity, considerable thickness in the direction of the thickness of the binder, and lightness. Each binder member is provided along its front edge with a flange-like extension 4 of sufficient width to accommodate upon its outer face a series of hinge knuckles 5, formed integrally therewith. These hinge knuckles occupy the angles between the outer faces of the flange extensions 4 and the front faces 6 of the binder members. The hinge knuckles 5 of the two binder members are arranged in transverse register with each other, at least. as regards two pairs of the same, and the members of these two pairs are apertured to receive the impaling posts 7. In one of the binder members, the lower one as shown in the drawing, the apertures in the lugs 5 have the form of sockets 8 extending only partially through said lugs, while in the upper members the lugs are pierced entirely through, as indicated at 9. The first section of each post 7 is desirably provided with a reduced end portion 7 seated in the corresponding socket 8 and pinned therein, as indicated at 10, and it is to be particularly noted that these posts are so located that they stand between the rear side of the hinge pintle 11 and the front face portion 6 of the binder member; being partially recessed into said front faces 6, as best indicated in the cross sectional view of Fig. 4.

The knuckle portions of 5 of the hinges clearly in the which are mounted upon the side covers are united with the latter in such manner that said knuckle portions project obliquely upwardly and rearwardly from the rear edges of said covers, as best seen in Fig.4; being thus brought into longitudinal alinement with the knuckles 5 of the binder members which stand in planes outside of the lanes of the side covers. This arrangement as a two-fold advantage, viz: it permits the hinged edges of the side covers to be brought into the same plane with the inner or proximate faces of the binder members 1 and 2 when the covers are closed, and it permits the covers to turn back and open wider before encountering the upper ends of the posts, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.4.

The supplemental sections, as 7", of the binder posts are each made of a length somewhat less than the vertical thickness of the upper binder member 1, so that when provided with finishing caps 12 the combined length of the supplemental section and cap is about equal to the vertical thickness of the binder member. From this it follows that the binder posts will at no time project laterally beyond the sides of the binder members so as to encounter and mar the desk or other support upon which the book is resting.

In order to lock the frame members in adjusted relation upon the posts, a threaded actuating rod 13 is seated to extend longitudinally within the frame member 1; the latter being provided with inwardly projecting guiding lugs 14, 14, and confining lugs 15,15. In the proximate or inner faces of the lugs 14 and 14 are formed ways be tween which are guided and confined looking blocks 16, preferably rectangular in cross section, and each apertured and threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded portions 17 and 18 of the locking rod. The ways in the faces of the lugs 14 intersect slightly the apertures 9 through which the filing posts extend, so that as the locking blocks are caused to traverse said ways the corners 19 thereof impinge or bite the sides of the posts, and so look the binder frame against move ment upon the posts. It will be noted that the arrangement of the locking blocks 16 in the ways is such as to form a positive locking engagement on both sides of the block. The strain is thus taken off the weaker threaded portion and a more eificient construction is also obviously secured than if the rod were supported at the ends. The locking rod is reversely threaded at its opposite ends and is held against endwise movement by means of a fixed collar or enlargement 12 thereon, which engages grooves 20 formed in the opposite lugs 15. The end of the locking rod is squared, as indicated at 21, to receive a key, and the end of the binder is provided with a keyhole 22 op osite the shank 21, as seen diawings.

Preferably the main portionsIof the ex terior of the two binder members 1 and 2 are covered with leather or fabric, as indicated at 23, but this is, of course, simply a matter of finish and appearance.

From theforegoing it will be understood that I accomplish the several objects of the invention hereinbefore stated, and produce a binder which is at once neat, convenient, durable and of moderate cost, while at the same time it may be expanded to any reasonable extent without at any stage having its posts project in an objectionable manner. Moreover, so much of each supplemental section of post is exposed to view thatthe operator can tell when the binder is completely full by simple inspection and without removing the top binder member to ascertain whether more sheets can be accommodated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a post binder, the combination with a hollow shell-like side frame member provided with binding post apertures therethrough, of a locking rod journaled to extend longitudinally within said frame member and confined against endwise movement, locking blocks threaded upon said locking rod and adapted to impinge directly against the binding posts, ways formed in said frame member within which said locking blocks reciprocate and whereby they are held against rotation, said ways being arranged to intersect the binding post apertures at one side thereof and adapted to form positive locking engagement between said blocks and the binding posts independently of said rod, and means for actuating said rod.

2. In a post binder, the combination with a frame member provided with binding post apertures, of a locking rod j ournaled to extend longitudinally within said frame member and confined against endwise movement,

the ends of said rod extendin freely within a pinge directly against the binding posts, ways formed within said frame member within which said locking blocksreciprocate and are held against rotation, said ways being 'arranged to intersect the binding post apertures and adapted to form ositive locking engagement between said locks and the binding posts whereby the transverse strain is removed from said threaded rod. V.

8. In a post binder, thecombination with a frame member provided with binding post apertures, of a threaded locking rod adapted to rotate within said member but confined against endwise movement therein, locking members adapted to reciprocate upon the threaded portion of said rod and impinged directly against the binding posts, ways within which said locking members travel and are held against rotation, said ways being arranged to intersect the binding post apertures and adapted to form positive looking engagement between said blocks and binding posts.

4. A sectional post binder comprising a pair of laterally opposed side frame members, each hollow or of shell-form in cross section, and each provided at its front with a flange-like extension lying in the same plane with its inner clamping face, a plurality of sectional posts seated in said flange extension, each of said posts having one end fixedly seated in the flange of one binder member and its opposite end extending loosely through the flange portion of the other member and exposed to view outside of said flange portion, the supplemental or extension post sections being each of a length less than the maximum thickness in the same direction of the binder member it extends through.

5. A sectional post binder comprising a air of laterally opposed side frame memers, each provided at its front with a flangelike extension inset from its outer face, a plurality of sectional posts seated in said flange extensions, each of said posts having one end seated in the flange of one frame member and its opposite end extending through the flange portion of the other member and exposed to view outside of said flange portion, the supplemental or extension post sections being each of a length less than the maximum thickness in the same direction of the binder member it extends through.

6. In combination in a post binder, a pair of laterally opposed side frame members, each member having a flange like extension inset from its outer face and lying in the same plane with its inner face, a plurality of sectional clamping posts uniting and extending entirely through one of said flange extensions but not projecting above the outer face of said binder members.

7. A sectional post binder comprising a pairof laterally opposed side frame members, each member having a flange like extension inset from its outer face, socket members upon one of said flange portions, a cover hinged to said socket members, a plurality of sectional clamping posts seated in said flange extensions, each post having one end fixedly seated in the flange of one of said binder members and its opposite end extending through the opposite socket member, but not projecting beyond the outer face of the frame member.

8. In a post binder, the combination with a back, of a forwardly extending inset flange portion upon said back, one or more socket members upon said flange portion, cover members, a cylindrical inclined portion extending obliquely upwardly and rearwardly above the upper face of said cover member, and a pintle member upon said inclined portion adapted to have hinged engagement with said socket member or members.

9. In a post binder, the combination with a back, of a forwardly extending inset flange portion upon said back, one or more socket members upon said flange ortion, a cover hinged to said socket mem er or members, and binding posts extending through said pack member in the rear of said socket memers.

10. In a post binder, the combination with a pair of binder members, with a pair of covers, a forwardly extending inset flange portion upon each of said binder members, a socket member upon each of said flange portions, binding posts uniting said binder members and extending in the rear of said socket members, and means whereby said covers are hinged to said binder members comprising an obliquely upwardly and rearwardly extending knuckle portion upon each cover member and a pintle covered by each knuckle portion and engaging its respective socket member.

CHARLES R. NELSON. Witnesses:

F. L. BELKNAP, LOIS FoRoE. 

